Principal cast
Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
Film 220 of 498 on the Screen Path
Alien
In space no one can hear you scream.
About the film
Alien at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1979 film at stop 220 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
Key craft credits
Derek Vanlint (director of photography), Peter Weatherley (editor), Terry Rawlings (editor), Jerry Goldsmith (original music composer) and Dan O'Bannon (screenplay)
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Release
- 1979-05-25
- Runtime
- 117 minutes
- Genres
- Horror and Science Fiction
- Country
- United States
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Tom SkerrittCharacter: Dallas
- Sigourney WeaverCharacter: Ripley
- Veronica CartwrightCharacter: Lambert
- Harry Dean StantonCharacter: Brett
- John HurtCharacter: Kane
- Ian HolmCharacter: Ash
- Yaphet KottoCharacter: Parker
- Bolaji BadejoCharacter: Alien
- Helen HortonCharacter: Mother (voice)
Full crew
Full crew
- Ridley ScottCredits: Director
- Michael SeymourCredits: Production Design
- Roger ChristianCredits: Art Direction
- Ronald ShusettCredits: Executive Producer, Story
- Brian JohnsonCredits: Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor
- Mary GoldbergCredits: Casting
- Ian WhittakerCredits: Set Decoration
- Terry RawlingsCredits: Editor
- Peter WeatherleyCredits: Editor
- Jerry GoldsmithCredits: Original Music Composer
- John MolloCredits: Costume Design
- Walter HillCredits: Producer
- Gordon CarrollCredits: Producer
- Derek VanlintCredits: Director of Photography
- Leslie DilleyCredits: Art Direction
- Mary SelwayCredits: Casting
- David GilerCredits: Producer
- Ivor PowellCredits: Associate Producer
- Bob PennCredits: Still Photographer
- Max BellCredits: Dolby Consultant
- Roy ScammellCredits: Stunt Coordinator
- Jonathan AmberstonCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Dave JordanCredits: Property Master
- Bryan TillingCredits: Dialogue Editor
- Graham ChurchyardCredits: Costume Assistant
- Nick AllderCredits: Special Effects Supervisor
- Dan O'BannonCredits: Story, Screenplay, Other
- Peter VoyseyCredits: Modelling Supervisor
- Bernard LodgeCredits: Special Effects
- Ben BurttCredits: Sound Designer
- H. R. GigerCredits: Creature Design
- Chris FossCredits: Concept Artist
- Bill WelchCredits: Construction Manager
- Benjamín FernándezCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Ron CobbCredits: Concept Artist
- David H. WatkinsCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Sarah MonzaniCredits: Hairdresser
- Tommie MandersonCredits: Makeup Supervisor
- Pat HayCredits: Makeup Artist
- Neil SwanCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Roger NicholsCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Garth ThomasCredits: Production Manager
- Ray EvansCredits: Gaffer
- Phil KnowlesCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Dennis LoweCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Jimmy WaltersCredits: Key Grip
- Guy HudsonCredits: Special Effects Technician
- Paul IbbetsonCredits: First Assistant Director
- Derrick LeatherCredits: Production Sound Mixer
- Kay FentonCredits: Continuity
- Dennis AylingCredits: VFX Director of Photography
- Jim ShieldsCredits: Sound Editor
- Bill RoweCredits: Sound Re-Recording Mixer
- Eddie ButlerCredits: Modeling
- Eddie PowellCredits: Stunts
- Tiny NichollsCredits: Wardrobe Supervisor
- Patti RodgersCredits: Modeling
- Raymond BecketCredits: Assistant Director
- George GunningCredits: Carpenter
- Brian DoyleCredits: Unit Publicist
- Lionel NewmanCredits: Conductor
- Robert HathawayCredits: Music Editor
- Bill FinchCredits: Production Accountant
- Julian WallCredits: Second Assistant Director
- Julian CaldowCredits: Production Illustrator
- William ParnellCredits: Dialogue Editor
- Joss WilliamsCredits: Special Effects Supervisor
- Andy WilliamsCredits: Special Effects Supervisor
- Ray MerrinCredits: Sound Re-Recording Assistant
- Les HealeyCredits: First Assistant Editor
- Peter CulverwellCredits: Assistant Editor
- Bridget ReissCredits: Assistant Editor
- Peter BaldockCredits: Assistant Editor
- Maureen LyndonCredits: Assistant Editor
- Steve HardingCredits: Assistant Director
- Valerie CraigCredits: Production Assistant
- Alice HarmonCredits: Producer's Assistant
- Lori CovelCredits: Producer's Assistant
- Bob JordanCredits: Assistant Director Trainee
- Mark HaggardCredits: Production Executive
- Jean GiraudCredits: Concept Artist
- John DaveyCredits: Painter
- Ray CapleCredits: Matte Painter
- Adrian BiddleCredits: Focus Puller
- Colin DavidsonCredits: Focus Puller
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.